Japan to analyze US-China trade deal ahead of next round of tariff talks
The Japanese government plans to analyze the latest US-China trade deal to prepare for its third round of tariff talks with the United States.
Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru told the Diet on Monday that Japan will seek an agreement with the US that will serve the national interests of both sides.
Ishiba said each country has its own strong and weak sectors, and it is important for Japan and the US to cooperate for a better result.
Japan's tariff negotiator, Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryosei, said Japan will protect what it needs to protect in negotiating with the US.
He said the government will go all-out in unity and continue giving top priority to the negotiations in order to obtain a deal with maximum benefits for Japan.
Under the US-China deal, both sides will cut their additional tariffs by 115 percentage points. The agreement was announced on Monday following high-level trade talks in Switzerland.
Some Japanese government officials say the deal should be welcomed if it results in calming financial markets.
Some are also guessing that Washington might be shifting its policy after seeing the impact of the tariffs on the US economy.
The government plans to scope out the US strategies for the trade talks, by studying the agreement with China, as well as an earlier US deal with Britain.
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